we're going to have the "today" show up next and also local updates for you at 7:25. and don't forget, our midday show at 11:00 today. much more news ahead for you this day. the day before thanksgiving. so be thankful, enjoy. >> get your stretchy pants out. good morning. go time. the thanksgiving travel rush in full effect this morning. tens of millions hitting the airports and roads. >> i haven't traveled much, so this is good. >> braving massive crowds and high gas prices. >> they are really high, you know. what can we do? >> what will you fe as you head out the door? we've got everything you need to know. arms race, inside the push to get covid vaccine boosters shots with families preparing to get together for the holiday weekend, some for the first time in nearly two years. and the questions on the minds

of health officials, can we avoid another post holiday surge. mounting toll, a young boy now the sixth person to die in the wake of that wisconsin parade tragedy. prosecutors making the announcement during the suspect's first court appearance as a new controversy erupts over his bail. we'll have the very latest. ready for the rush? our exclusive look inside the u.s. postal service after cutbacks and changes that have slowed service. will it be able to handle the busiest holiday shipping season ever? >> we are going to deliver for the nation. we are ready. >> we'll take you behind the scenes. all that, plus buzz kill. the shipping crunch and a lack of glass combining to create a shortage of wine and booze. just ahead, how to track down your favorite bottles. our tips for the tipsy. and on a collision course. >> and liftoff of the falcon 9 and d.a.r.t. overnight, the historic

mission launches. why nasa doesn't want to miss a thing, today, wednesday, november 24th, 20201. >> announcer: from nbc news, this "today" with savannah guthrie and hoda kotb live from studio 1a in rockefeller plaza. >> hello, everybody. it's the wednesday before thanksgiving. we have so glad to have you with us. we have such a great crowd outside that we said let us get outside early. >> we're happy that you guys came to visit with us. but let us get right to the story on everybody's mind. we're talking about holiday travel. so after last year's guidance to stay at home, today will be one of the busiest travel days in years. >> everybody is making up for lost times. at the airports, the number of passengers is expected to double

last year's total. the roads will be jam packed, as well. nearly 50 million americans driving to their holiday destination. >> and, of course, everyone is thinking about the weather. how is it going be for the ride home and for tomorrow's big parade and the journey back again? we've got it all covered, including the impact covid having on these celebrations. first up, nbc's morgan chesky. he's in dallas with the latest. hey, morgan, good morning. >> reporter: hey, savannah, good morning. if you're one of the millions hitting the roads, you have a couple of unfortunate realities today. number one, packed highways. number two, higher prices at the pump. believe it or not, the average cost for a gallon of gas now $1.30 more than what we were paying this time last year. now president biden is tapping into our nation's fuel reserves to hopefully drive that cost down. another thanksgiving tradition is in full swing this morning. the traffic crush on the nation's roads and highways. more than 48 million americans are expected to travel by car this week, according to aaa. that's up nearly 4 million since

last year. and approaching prepandemic levels in 2019. the holiday rush comes amid a surge in gas prices. now at their highest level in seven years. with the national average cost of a gallon of gas at $3.40. the highest prices in the northeast and west. all of it leaving drivers frustrated. >> it almost makes me feel like i have to go to the bank and take out a loan to pay for my gas. >> they are really high, you know, what can we do? >> reporter: hoping to relief that pressure at the pump, president biden announced we will tap into the nation's strategic oil reserve, part of a coordinated effort by the u.s. and five other countries. >> it will take time, but before long, you should see the price of gas drop where he fill up your tank. >> experts warn it may take up to two weeks before prices to finally come down. but others doubt the government's move will have much of an impact. >> i don't think it's going to bring meaningful relief to

americans. it will bring some relief, maybe to the tune of 5 to 10 cents a gallon nationally. >> they say the most congestion will happen between noon and 8:00 p.m. today. if you're traveling tomorrow, they say try to hit the road before 11:00 a.m. if you want to avoid some of that congestion. we'll send it back to you. >> good advice, morgan, thank you. let's turn from the roadways to the runways and what you'll face if you're flying for your holiday destination. for that, tom costello is at the tampa international airport there. good morning. >> reporter: good morning. so this is the check-in for united airlines. the lines have been building all morning. let me do a quick pivot to show you, tampa is not the busiest airport in the country. they are busy this morning. the cars pouring in throughout the day. now a peek inside to see the terminal and, yeah, the lines are thick on both this side of the airport and the american

side of the airport. we checked the faa's website, we checked the flightaware, perfect day for flying. minimal cancellations. the airlines say this coming sunday will be the super bowl for them, massive crowds. this, these are the playoffs. if you're on your way to an airport, this is what you can expect. millions of people eager to reunite with friends and families. what a difference a year makes. this was the thanksgiving travel rush of 2020 before the vaccine. and this is thanksgiving 2021. >> it's a busy day. three kids. a lot of luggage. car seat. busy airport. but it's going. >> it will be good to see family. i haven't traveled much, so that's good. >> so far, the tsa says it's screening 2 million passengers and more each day, a pandemic record. tsa chief david pikoski. >> very close to 2019 prepandemic levels. the busiest day, by far, will be

this coming sunday generally in the afternoon as people are returning home. >> with the crush of passengers, patience can be in short supply, tempers hot. this year has brought a record number of on board disturbances and assaults. >> so the airport is an emotional play. some people are running late. some people are delayed. you have people who are getting ready to leased loved ones for a while and they tend to act out when things don't go their way. >> on board, disturbances and violence can mean steep fines, jail time and getting banned for life by that airline. but the ceo of united tells savannah he supports banning those misbehaving passengers from all the airlines. >> a lot of people support the idea of the airlines sharing with each other their list of potentially disruptive passengers. would you support that? >> we absolutely support that. we need the government to authorize us to share those

lists, but if they did, we would absolutely share it and be supportive of that. >> meanwhile, on this thanksgiving eve -- >> from tsa and gate agents preparing for flights -- >> in the thick of a stressful season, the tsa's message to those on aviation's front lines. >> we are so very thankful to have you around. >> we're all thankful, really, because people have been having a really tough year. speaking of which, mass cancellations, as you know, we saw that over the summer into september, into october. so far today within it's going to really, really well. the heaviest day ever was in 2019 the day after thanksgiving. nearly 3 million people traveling by air. it's unlikely we're going to have that much, but it will be a very busy sunday. back to you. >> the x factor is the weather. let's go to al. things actually look pretty good. >> well, the truth is right here on our map.

i-35, i-80, i-10, i-5, i-94 all looking pretty darn good. for today, showers in the plains, sunny and chilly in the northeast and in the mid-atlantic states. on the map in the airports, maybe a few delays in chicago, minneapolis, salt lake and denver. others, we have plenty of green. baby grogu, 9:00 a.m. to noon, the parade. sunny skies, temperatures in the upper 40s. for thanksgiving day, snow showers, great lakes, santa ana winds out west. heavy rain friday, some lake-effect snow, sunny and pleasant through the plains. a little wet weather moves into the pacific northwest. on saturday, more snow showers around the great lakes. above average highs out west. coastal rain in the pacific northwest. and then as we look ahead to sunday, near record highs out west. a quiet weather pattern. so for air travel, things pretty good. maybe a little delay in detroit. otherwise, look at all the green on the map and roads will be pretty decent, as well, guys. so we don't think weather will be something that you're not giving thanks for. >> all right, al, thank you.

and now to another concern tied to the holiday season, the coronavirus. with cases climbing coast to coast, some americans are racing to get that booster shot before gathering with family and friends. miguel almaguer joins us now with those kind of details. good morning. >> hoda, good morning. with more than 53 million americans expected to travel for thanksgiving, many are doing so in regions and states that have become a hot spot for the virus. many are looking for that add dose of protection. >> this morning, as new covid infections climb and holiday travel surges, the race to vaccinate ahead of thanksgiving is reaching a new benchmark. for three weeks, average inoculations have topped more than 1 million a day for the first time since spring. and now the majority of jabs are boosters as many seek more protection with family gathering just a day away. >> get vaccinated if you're not yet vaccinated.

>> the most practical safeguards say experts ensure everyone is gathering is vaccinated. tell those with symptoms to stay home and keep groups fairley small. now rapid take home tests for about $20 are another option for protection. >> the rapid tests are not the gold standard. they're not perfect. but i think they're a really good layer to add to the other measures that you're doing to try to keep people safe. >> with the white house spending $3 billion to quadruple supply from september to december, major pharmacies say demand forte home tests is peaking. not as accurate as pcr swabs done at clinics, the do it yourself kit can prevent the virus's spread. >> for folks who are symptomatic or contagious, we need to have high levels of virus in the nose and mouth. they're actually very good for detecting that. so it's very good for detecting if someone is a risk of spread to others.

>> because of easy access to take home tests, marilyn martinez is finally bringing home more of her family for the holidays. >> this is one more extra step to make sure that our family will be safe. nothing is foolproof, but it's the best we can do. >> this morning even as our nation faces troubling days ahead, there are reasons to be grateful. >> with so many americans now getting boosters, health officials say in just a matter of days, there is a measurable increase in immunity, but the full protection takes about a week to kick in. still, they're urging anyone who qualifies for a booster or who has not yet been vaccinated to get protected as soon as possible. hoda. >> good advice. miguel, thank you. got lots more to get to this morning. craig, good morning. >> good morning to you, as well. we turn now to the rising death toll from that holiday parade tragedy in wisconsin. a sixth victim, just 8 years old, has now died from his injuries and the loss revealed by prosecutors as the suspect

appeared in court for the first time. nbc's meagan fitzgerald is in waukesha for us this morning. good morning. >> reporter: craig, good morning. this 8-year-old boy had just underwent brain surgery on sunday evening but tragically died yesterday just as that suspect was appearing in court, this morning, we're hearing from a young girl who was walking in that parade. she said she was just feet away from being killed. this morning, another family is grieving in waukesha. 8-year-old jackson died from his injuries. the family calling it a tremendous loss. their other young son, tucker, was also in the icu. jackson, now the sixth victim of the event on sunday when a red suv drove right into the crowd attending a christmas parade. the suspect appearing to sob during his first court appearance tuesday when prosecutors announced the child's death. brooks is now charged with five counts of intentional homicide

and a sixth is expected soon. his bail set at $5 million. >> it's an extraordinarily serious case with an extraordinary history of this gentleman of fleeing, of hurting people, of not following court orders. >> reporter: documents obtained l abuse, drugs, battery, and domestic violence. this month, he was arrested for allegedly running over his child happens mother, but was released after posting a $1,000 bond. >> oh, my god. >> reporter: 13-year-old alley wachter was marching that day carrying the banner for the milwaukee dancing grannies, a group hit by the suv. >> i heard tires squeal and that's when i seen the car

basically heading straight for the banner that i was carrying. >> reporter: on the other end of that banner, virginia sorensen, known as ginny, was killed along with two other members, lee anna owens and tamara durant. >> i was supposed to be on that side. >> reporter: 62 other people were hurt, including 18 children, leaving a devastated community to find comfort and grieving together. right now, 13 children remain in the hospital. 6 are in critical condition. as for this suspect, he's expected to appear back in court in january for a preliminary hearing. craig, if he's found guilty of these charges, he faces life in prison. >> six kids critical condition. meagan fitzgerald for us, thank you. jury deliberations are entering a second day in and out in brunswick, georgia, in the killing of ahmaud arbery. sam brock is live at the courthouse with the very latest. sam, good morning. >> reporter: savannah, good

morning. there were signs last night the jury might be close to a decision requesting more time when the judge asked if a verdict was imminent. now today, savannah, the waiting game is on after the lead prosecutor went after the defense's argument about self-defense or a citizen's arrest. a high profile case that capt will soon be coming to a close. >> we will be justice for ahmaud. >> reporter: for weeks, defense attorneys for the three men arguing they were protecting a community urged siege from crime, travis mcmichael, his father and their neighborhood are all facing murder and aggravated assault charges. when they saw arbery running their through neighborhood, they chased him with two pickup trucks and a shotgun. >> these are real experiences, real people who were very scared. and so they took it upon themselves to do something about it. >> reporter: in her rebuttal, the lead prosecutor looking to

puncture a hole in that argument. >> decision one, how do we know he didn't witness any crime? the whole thing started when i saw this guy running down the street. >> reporter: georgia's citizens arrest law previously required seeing a felony in progress or having immediate knowledge. but this video played in court shows arbery sprinting down the street. >> see the white truck right here? >> reporter: then the mcmichaels, one by one, going from their house to their truck and pursuing him, apparently to find out why. the prosecution showing this exchange between gregory mcmichael and police after the shooting. the officer asking did this guy break into a house today? and mcmichael responding, that's just it. i don't know. arbery had previously been observed on surveillance video walking through a home under construction, but was never seen taking anything. kevin goff is a defense attorney for bryan. >> we know the defendants didn't actually see a crime committed. that was established in court. why would a citizen's arrest -- >> you know i'm not going to get into that discussion while the jury is out. the lawyers made their arguments. three lawyers made capable

presentations to the court. >> reporter: finding one more legal test and a decision possibly just hours away. in all, there are nearly 30 charges to review here. 9 for each defendant. a nearly all white jury will set to begin deliberations shortly. savannah, back to you. >> sam at the courthouse for us, thank you very much. 18 minutes past the hour. mr. roker, all eyes on you for this holiday weekend. >> i'm feeling really good about this forecast. we have a bit of fire danger in southern california. about 17 million people at risk there. chilly in parts of alaska. minus 9 in parts of the state. mild in the midwest. in fact, they may see record temperatures morning. a morning freeze down through the southeast. gorgeous weather into the northeast, mid-atlantic states and on into new england. we're going to get to your local forecast coming up in the next

30 seconds. ♪ just call on me and i'll send it along ♪ ♪ with love from me to you ♪ good wednesday morning. i'm meteorologist kari hall. a clear start and chilly temperatures around the bay area, but no issues with fog. as you're heading out today, it's going to gradually warm up. we'll see our temperatures in the inland area head for the mid-60 and expect low to mid-60s into the holiday weekend for shopping on saturday, looks really nice. slightly cooler early next week. but still, there's no rain in

the seven-day forecast so the dry weather continues at least through early next week. >> and that's your latest weather. coming up, our special series, the race to deliver. is the much maligned u.s. postal service ready to handle what could be the busiest shipping holiday season ever? vicky nguyen shares an exclusive behind the scenes look at new changes to improve services and hopefully get your cards and parcels where they need to be on time and what we need to know about the wine and spirits shortage that could leavyour holiday table e

there's this feeling we chase... like someone upped the brightness on the entire world. like your body is super-charged, but your mind is super calm. it feels like 20/20 vision for your whole being. and we'll chase this feeling, until we can feel it... one. more. time. feel the hydrow high.

and one with the one and only bono a great conversation about his new movie role and, of course, music. >> opening up to jbh about the songs that saved his life and the future of u2 and wait until you see the big

surprise that he pulled on jenna. >> epic. >> after your local news (vo) home is where learning to count just got a little bit more fun. (son) one, two, three... (vo) these layers just keep going! (son) four... pillsbury grands! flaky layers biscuits. ♪ ♪ what's going on...? jake from state farm! the perp just confessed. i think... i don't know. uh... what? oh, i can't afford streaming anymore. so... (shooing a pigeon that landed next to her) here we are.

don't give up what you love. state farm has options to personalize your policies, so you get a rate that fits your budget. oh, that's great. (annoyed, to neighbor) cause subtitles would be nice! for surprisingly great rates that fit any budget... like a good neighbor, state farm is there. call or click to get a quote today. with voltaren arthritis pain gel. state farm is there. my husband's got his moves back. an alternative to pills, voltaren is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory gel for powerful arthritis pain relief. voltaren, the joy of movement. (tiger) this is the dimension of imagination. ♪

♪ your whole team can see your upper thigh ♪ ♪ pour that smooth roast and aim that camera up high ♪ ♪ the best part of wakin' up is folgers in your cup ♪ (vo) subaru and our retailers believe in giving back. that's why, in difficult times, we provided one hundred and fifty million meals to feeding america. and now through the subaru share the love event, we're helping even more. by the end of this year, subaru will have donated over two hundred and twenty five million dollars to charity. this is what it means to be more than a car company. this is what it means to be subaru. ♪♪ when love finds us... this is how we shine. ♪♪

♪♪ you found the one, now find the ring. ask about special financing with the diamond credit card. at zales. the diamond store. hey there. good wednesday morning. i'm laura garcia. here are today's top stories including another bay area business targeted in a coordinated robbery. >> i'm bob redell. thieves at another department store, this one in the south bay. the macy's women's store hit last night at the ve valley fai mall. officers were able to catch two of the suspects. in oakland, a band of thieves hit a mom and pop store overnight. the prime 356 clothing store where at least 30 people rushed

in and cleared them out of their inventory. >> good morning, everyone. i'm scott mcgrew. wu just got first time jobless claims showing an amazing decrease. great news. 199,000 first-time claims. that's the lowest since 1969. data point after data point show us the economy is not just getting better but a lot better. inflation still a huge issue, but remember, the solution to that is higher interest rates, and they're coming. why? because the economy is getting better. and better. >> let's check the forecast right now with meteorologist kari hall. good start to our day? >> yes, a good start. it's all clear. we don't have fog but it's also chilly. as we look outside in walnut creek, you're stepping out the door in many spates to upper 40s, even some upper 30s right now in morgan hill. so after this chilly start, we will have a mild day reaching into the mid-60s later this afternoon. it will feel nice with all that sunshine. we'll just set the weather on

repeat going into the weekend and just slightly warmer for the weekend. reaching into the upper 60s and more of the same into early next week. laura. >> all right, thank you very much. we'll be back with another update in half an hour.

we're back. it's 7:30 on this day before thanksgiving. oh, my god, choreography, too. 212 fans packed the plaza from every part of the country. they're ready to celebrate bringing family and friends back together. >> aouof cple chefs said they showed up just for the vest. >> and a lot of tips are like if you're in a pinch or oh, i ran out of this or i ran out of that. it's going be good.

we'll start with a verdict in the over the unite the right rally in charlottesville, virginia. the jury has ordered white nationalist leaders and organizers to pay more than $9 million in damages for those injured in that. now to a story we've been telling you about here, nasa launching a spacecraft overnight on a rare mission to crash into an affidavit reside. the spacecraft, known as d.a.r.t., launched. nasa is trying to find out if it's possible to knock a speeding space rock off court if one were to ever threaten earth. if all goes well, it will slam head on into a targeted affidavit reside next fall. we should point out the affidavit asteroid is no danger to earth. a guinness world record has been broken. anthony white known as the pedalling picasso covered a distance of more than 66 miles on the streets of london. he used a gps tracking app to create a massive image of this

man with the moustache. the artwork comes in recognition of movember in november to raise awareness for men's health. he is famous for his gps drawings. others include santa, a snowman and a reindeer. i don't know if there was a previous record, but good for him. >> i don't know. that's pretty astounding. cool. now to our ongoing series race to deliver. we're focused on the hectic holiday shopping and shipping season. >> the u.s. postal service is prepared for its busiest time of the year and it could lead to slower delivered times. >> vicky nguyen spoke exclusively with the agency's executive vp to get a sense of how the usps is handling this holiday rush. what did you find out? >> hi. good morning to you.

happy almost thanksgiving. i can't believe it's here. the u.s. postal service has been under scrutiny. it's faced budget cuts, staffing shortages and changes that are likely to impact your wallet this holiday season. this morning, an exclusive behind the scenes look at what the agency is doing to shore up its services. a stressed supply chain, labor shortage and skyrocketing online shopping, a combination that will test our nation's biggest shippers like never before. but unlike u.p.s. or fedex, the united states post postal service, weathering a cloud of skepticism that led to more than 10 million complaints, with 69% of them involving missing or delayed packages. this season, the u.s. postal service is expected to deliver 850 million packages alone. >> should consumers be confident in the usps this season? >> yes. >> jackie says the agency started hiring seasonal workers six weeks earlier than last year.

do you think the u.s. postal service is properly staffed? right now? >> yes. as of october, we had more people working for the postal service than we did the highest week during december of last year. >> reporter: the boost comes an usps handled a record 13 billion packages and letters last holiday season. the covid crush of mail overwhelmed the postal service, delaying essential mail like social security checks and prescription mail. according to a report from the office of inspector general, between october and december 2020, the agency missed its on time delivery target for letters and flat mail by up to 14%. and this year, the usps set new slower delivery standards by one or two days for some first class mail. even then, the agency still failed to reach its on time

delivery goals. >> we've made considerable investment in our people, in our facilities, and in our package sortation equipment. >> the agency opened 100 facilities across the country to handle the anticipated holiday volume. >> how are you handling those concerns that come up with postal workers say they feel they're being spread too thin? >> our leadership around the country is working on their operations and their facilities and working with their teams. >> and don't expect your packages to go dashing through snow without its seasonal surcharge. from now until december 26th, it will cost 25 cents to $5 more to ship a package depending on which type of service you choose and how far it has to go. but when it comes to your holiday cards, you can still send those, just with a regular stamp and that cost, 58 cents. fedex and u.p.s. have implemented seasonal surcharges along with raising rates both by

an average of nearly 6%. usps has more than 100 new high tech sorting machines like this one to help this season. >> when you're in peak holiday season, are all of these boxes going to be full? >> absolutely. many times a day. >> this automated machine can process nearly 4500 packages an hour. that's 50% more than before. >> we are going to deliver for the nation. we are ready. >> and you can do your part by remembering the basics. use usps.com to look up zip codes and write addresses clearly, send packages early and don't forget key shipping deadlines. >> yeah. and to get your packages delivered by christmas, both usps and fedex have set wednesday, december 15th, as their deadline for ground shipping. u.p.s. says it really depends on where you're shipping, so if you go to the website, you can enter the zip codes to get the most accurate estimate. >> talked about price increases. are those going to stick around?

>> it looks like we will see more through 2024. the postal will likely adjust its postal rates in january and july. for the next couple of years, we'll see the classic post office boxes shipping going up. >> also a great time to remind folks this is a great time of the year. >> thank you. >> thank you. up next, some news to really whine about. we're going to tell you about a bottleneck -- >> there you go again. >> could make certain alcoholic beverages much harder to find this holiday season. >> we'll get into that and more right after this introducing the new citi custom ℠ card. it adapts to you. earn 5% cash back that automatically adjusts to your top eligible spend category, up to $500 spent each billing cycle. and $200 cash back after qualifying purchases. apply now. visit citi.com/customcash

the snapshot app from progressive rewards you for driving safe and driving less. okay, what message did you hear this time? safe drivers can save using snapshot? -what's snapshot? -what the commercial was about. -i tune commercials out. -me too. they're always like blah, blah blah. tell me about it. i'm going to a silent retreat next weekend. my niece got kicked out of one of those. -for talking? -grand larceny. how about we get back to the savings? [ everyone agreeing ] ♪ ♪ how about we get back to the savings? why give a gift eyt''ll never use? this season, give 'em one they can use again and again (after washes, of course). show you care with underwear, from fruit of the loom. ♪♪ it starts with a mother's determination to treat her baby's eczema. and grows into a family business that helps thousands more. it starts with an army vet's dream of studying the stars.

and grows into a new career as an astrophysicist. it starts with an engineer's desire to start over. and grows into an award-winning restaurant that creates local jobs. they learned how on youtube. what will you learn? even the smallest surprise... can make a big memory... worthy of passing on. kinder joy. treat plus new holiday toys. a little surprise goes a long way. shop black friday deals! sunday through friday k at kohl's! treat plus new holiday toys. earn $15 kohl's cash for every $50 spent. and take an extra 15% off! get the fitbit versa 2 - $119.99. google nest doorbell is $129.99. and get 30% off fisher price toys! kohl's. milk-bone dipped. a treat so tasty, everyone will want to be a dog. coated in delicious peanut butter-flavored yum. dog life's more fun with milk-bone dipped.

(kate) at verizon, we want to put the power of 5g in the hands of every business. so come in for verizon small business days. every butcher, baker and artisanal cheese maker. schedule an appointment with our business experts, and get up to $1000 off a 5g phone. because every business deserves better. ♪ together forever and never to part ♪ ♪ together forever we two ♪ ♪ and don't you know i would move heaven and earth ♪ ♪ to be together forever with you ♪ did you see the one with mystery apartment girl? she feels a breeze coming from behind the medicine cabinet so she looks behind it and guess what she found... a hole! how big was the hole? did she go in?! she squeezed her way through!

what does she find on the other side? a totally abandoned apartment, which is bigger than our apartment this is freaking me out, tony! (hammering) no hidden apartment! let's try the next room! you know what? i'll stop talking now but, you just have to see it. ♪♪ spray, lift, skip, step. swipe, lift, spin, dry. slam, pan, still...fresh move, move, move, move aaaaand still fresh. degree. ultimate freshness activated when you move. we are back. 7:41 with the latest shortage ahead of thanksgiving. this one has our attention big time

>> yes the global supply chain issues we've been following for months, now they're hitting us where we live leading to a shortage of wine and spirits some wineries across the country are struggling to bottle up those beverages. >> nbc morning news and now anchor joe fryer joins us. say it ain't so, joe >> it is perhaps true. sadly for some, your thanksgiving turkey may not be the only thing that's dry this year shipping delays are now hitting the liquor aisle on this thanksgiving eve stores won't totally run out of booze, but for many, it is threatening to maybe this holiday season less memorable. prepping for this year's thanksgiving dinner with all the fixings has likely been a tougher task now a new sobering shortage, wine and spirits >> we're seeing some shortages coming from the large distillers

and craft distillers are having an issue, as well. >> with the u.s. importing around 40% of its supply of hard alcohol, many high end liquors like scotch and cognac are stuck in backed up ports pandemic fueled supply chain issues are causing a bottleneck for domestic booze makers, too that's because the glass bottles that hold those sought after spirits are in short supply. >> i know they're having massive issues i know for us, it's hit and miss, whether the glass is available. >> phil long is the owner of longevity wines in california. he's crushed enough grapes to keep up with the high holiday demand, the bottle backlog is keeping his wine in these storage tanks and off store shelves. >> more and more, we're having to leave wine in these tanks or purchase additional tanks to help store the wine. >> reporter: the fear now, the stalling supply will cause his product to go to waste >> there's the chance of wine

going bad and wine being not what you wanted it to be >> reporter: with thanksgiving just one day away, industry insiders say the booze shortage may extend beyond turkey day >> some of the products where we're seeing shortages for thanksgiving, there's a good chance that we'll see shortages around the christmas season, as well >> be prepared for definitely a little bit of shelf sticker shock when you go to buy your wine if you find your wine, my suggestion is to stock up. >> and experts suggest shopping at multiple stores if you're looking for something specific now, on top of shortages, americans are seeing higher prices for almost everything the latest, dollar tree now raising prices from $1 to $1.25 early next year saying that

gives stores more flexibility. flexibility is something we're all going be needing in the next few months >> do you think they'll change their name >> dollar 25 store >> it doesn't quite roll off the tongue when it comes to wine and everything else you can find, much more on why so many popular items have become to hard to find in an in-depth report on nbc.com. >> maybe buck and change store a buck and change. >> wait, wait, wait. wait, wait, wait >> that's why there's a shortage >> is that apple juice >> is that wine? >> let me smell it >> it's ice water. >> that does not look too appetizing you think it's apple juice i don't know what it might be. >> the mind boggles. people leave it right there. let's take a look. thanks or no thanks for thanksgiving weather right now, we're going to start thanksgiving day do we say thanks you bet. thanks for blue skies in san francisco. dry in denver. crystal clear in phoenix new york city, sunny miami, sunny and warm, 77. no thanks to seattle, snow showers. 37 nashville showers heavy rain and storms down in houston. we're watching this frontal system pushing to the east today. it will bring rain to the midwest, the southern plains,

evening showers developing from michigan into texas. tomorrow, those storms move along this coast so from western pennsylvania all the way down to southern texas, we've got that heavy rain threat down there some places could be picking up 2 to 3 inches of rain with rainfall rates of 1 inch per ho good morning. i'm meteorologist kari hall. definitely thanks for us. we're enjoying nice weather. it's just cold to start out the morning and we're headed for the low to mid-60s for today. you could probably have your jacket on throughout the afternoon even with the sunshine. this is the kind of weather we'll see through thanksgiving and black friday and small business saturday is looking pretty good, too. just likely warmer with our temperatures in the upper 60s and more of the same in san francisco, but the dry weather continues through at least next tuesday. >> and that is your latest weather. >> love your apple juice still ahead, jenna sits down with music superstar bono. they're going to chat about taking on a new challenge. his first major acting role. plus, he shared some big

news that u2 fans are going to want to hear >> and an epic surprise. >> epic. guys, still ahead, our plaza is lined with a 21 chef salute as we go ready to roll >> we've got all the substitutions, is the swaps, the solutions, as we kick off bogeys on your six, limu. they need customized car insurance from liberty mutual so they only pay for what they need. woooooooooooooo... we are not getting you a helicopter. only pay for what you need. ♪ liberty. liberty. liberty. liberty. ♪

this black friday, do you want a tv? or do you want. the place on the tv? or do you want. meet stuart and byron, owners of sml, a tiny home architecture firm. they were getting ready to travel to portland, maine for a pitch when their 3d-printer broke. luckily, sml is with american express business platinum, and has access to over $1000 in value per year with the business services suite. so they got new software and created a full augmented reality experience. sml won the pitch, and with their membership rewards® points, extended their hotel stay for a few extra days. they had a whale of a time. get the card built for business. by american express. there's a different way to treat hiv.

it's once-monthly injectable cabenuva. cabenuva is the only once-a-month, complete hiv treatment for adults who are undetectable. cabenuva helps keep me undetectable. it's two injections, given by a healthcare provider once a month. hiv pills aren't on my mind. i love being able to pick up and go. don't receive cabenuva if you're allergic to its ingredients or taking certain medicines, which may interact with cabenuva. serious side effects include allergic reactions post-injection reactions, liver problems,...and depression. if you have a rash and other allergic reaction symptoms, stop cabenuva and get medical help right away. tell your doctor if you have liver problems or mental health concerns, and if you are pregnant, breastfeeding, or considering pregnancy. some of the most common side effects include injection site reactions, fever, and tiredness. if you switch to cabenuva, attend all treatment appointments. with once-a-month cabenuva, i'm good to go. ask your doctor about once-monthly cabenuva. ♪♪♪

♪♪it's a most unusual day♪♪ ♪♪feel like throwing my worries away♪♪ ♪♪as an old native-born californian would say♪♪ ♪♪it's a most unusual day♪♪ ♪♪it's a most unusual sky♪♪ ♪♪not a sign of a cloud passing by♪♪ ♪♪if my heart won't behave in the usual way♪♪ experience the power of sanctuary at the lincoln wish list event. (vo) it's the 12 days of chexmas! with tips from john and chrissy. exclusive recipes, and delicious holiday hacks! unlock 12 surprises on every box.

♪ ♪ when the chapstick goes on. it's on. get yours on at chapstick.com

guys, still ahead, our plaza is lined with a 21 chef salute as we go ready to roll >> we've got all the substitutions, is the swaps, the solutions, as we kick off thanksgiving 2021 together again. but first, your local news let's do this linda! sounds good! a live expert bookkeeper who understands your business. felipe, i've categorized last month's hair gel expenses. steve, i just closed your books. great, how are we looking? profits are up! on to next month. on to next month, linda! get your books done for you by trusted experts. intuit quickbooks live bookkeeping. theo is saving big, holiday shopping at amazon. so now, he's free to become, thoughtful theo. and he's got a gift for everyone.

so thoughtful. ♪ ghirardelli caramel squares. makes life a bite better. no one can deliver your mom's homemade short ribs. for starters, your mom doesn't have a restaurant. if she did, it would be impossible to get in. she'd become famous overnight. she'd get talked into franchising everything. and at that point, they wouldn't really taste like your mom's short ribs. no one can deliver your mom's homemade short ribs. that's why instacart helps deliver the ingredients.

no one can deliver your mom's homemade short ribs. ♪ your whole team can see your upper thigh ♪ ♪ pour that smooth roast and aim that camera up high ♪ ♪ the best part of wakin' up is folgers in your cup ♪ spray, lift, skip, step. swipe, lift, spin, dry. slam, pan, still...fresh move, move, move, move aaaaand still fresh. degree. ultimate freshness activated when you move. cough cough sneeze sneeze... ult[ sneezing ]ess needs, plop plop fizz fizz. alka seltzer plus cold relief. dissolves quickly. instantly ready to start working. so you can bounce back fast with alka-seltzer plus.

now available for fast sinus relief. i didn't order a pizza. i know, but that “parker promo” saved me so much on my insurance, i brought you a little something special. parker, state farm offers everyone surprisingly great rates. you're the man, man. when you want the real deal...like a good neighbor, state farm is there. ♪ when you want the real deal...lik(girl)od neighbor, there. (vo) imagine the memories you'll make. (tiger) this is the dimension of imagination. ♪ shop black friday deals! sunday through friday at kohl's! earn $15 kohl's cash for every $50 spent... and take an extra 15% off! get a keurig - $84.99 40% off koolaburra for the home... and small appliances are just $4.99 after rebate...

kohl's! a very good wednesday morning to you. it is now 7:56. i'm laura garcia. here's a look at what's happening now. >> i'm cierra johnson in front of sfo. it's expected to be a busy morning with thousands of travelers through the airport. on the outside, hundreds of workers including cashiers, cooks, and bartenders that work inside sfo will be protesting affordable health care. some of those unionized workers saying they're given part-time hours to prevent them from getting benefits and nonunionized workers are saying they're being intimidated for wanting to unionize. >> let's get a look at the forecast with meteorologist kari hall. >> it's looking good. we're starting out with clear skies and chilly temperatures. we're headed for the mid-60s for

the inland valleys today and we'll also have a cold morning tomorrow with upper 30s and patchy fog for parts of the north bay as well as the inland east bay. we'll see the temperatures continue to reach to the low to mid 60s, slightly warmer for the weekend with more sunshine. you're noticing there's a lot of sun icons here and that means no rain here, at least through the next seven days. >> thank you very much. thank you for joining us as well. another local news update is coming up in about half an hour. hope you manage to have a great day. safe travels if you're going anywhere. we take a live look outside. gorgeous start to our bay area morning. happy thanksgiving.

♪ i see trees of green ♪

♪ red roses too ♪ ♪ i see them bloom for me and you ♪ (music) ♪ so i think to myself ♪ ♪ oh what a wonderful world ♪ we learn about covid-19, the more questions we have. the biggest question now, what's next? what will covid bring in six months, a year? if you're feeling anxious about the future, you're not alone. calhope offers free covid-19 emotional support.

call 833-317-4673, or live chat at calhope.org today. coming up, it's on from the roadway to the runway, millions of americans are on the move for thanksgiving >> it will be good to see family i haven't traveled much, so good >> but with high prices and packed airports, will it be a bumpy ride we've live with what you need to know out the door. plus, catching up with bono. jenna talks about getting animated in sing2 and the powerful impact music had on his life >> i'm one of the people who sings to stay alive rather than

through living there's a part of me that would die without that form of expression >> why he is excited for u2's first music release in years, what it means for the band's future and his special surprise for jenna, just ahead. and together again, holiday meal preps are well under way and we've got 21 chefs on our plaza to celebrate just ahead, all the tips and tricks to make your thanksgiving feast the best one yet today, wednesday, november 24th, 2021 >> sending love to my grandmother in ashland, alabama. >> love you, nanny >> happy thanksgiving alice kepka. >> thankful for my grandparents back in michigan >> our teacher in texas. >> and our parents in virginia >> shout out to jackson,

mississippi. >> today is my birthday. >> natalia is turning 13 >> celebrating our 30th wedding anniversary. >> here for thanksgiving 2021 together again >> happy thanksgiving, hoda and savannah >> we're watching the "today" show happy thanksgiving >> oh, well done morning, everybody so many good friends joining us on a wednesday morning right before thanksgiving. you can feel the excitement in the air. we've got a big holiday crowd out there. and a big bunch of shouts for our kickoff to thanksgiving 21, together again >> entering the plaza right now, we're welcoming our all-star roster 21 chefs that are here to show their best tips and trick toes help make your thanksgiving meal easy and stress free. >> i just spied a martha stewart, kevin curry there, matt atfield and so many, many more

and over the course of the next three hours, here on "today," they've got the entire feast covered. we're talking about everything from turkey to pie >> we should play like the rocky music. we had some pop-up music there we'll get things cooking in just a bit. but first, let's talk about the thanksgiving travel rush it begins with a check off your news at 8:00 a record number of travelers making their way through our nation's airports, millions more hitting the roads. tom costello is in tampa with the latest on the last-minute scramble home. hi, tom, good morning. >> yeah, pandemic record of travel is what we're seeing. tampa international is not the busiest airport in the country, but we've had a study stream all morning. as you know, these airports ebb and flow, right? so we have a very heavy bank of passengers about an hour ago it's started to die down at the moment it will come back in the hours ahead. this is happening at airports nationwide

we expect more than 2 million people to be flying today. the good news, the faa and flight aware report hardly any issues at all. very well few cancellations, very few delays. most americans take to the road to travel over thanksgiving. roughly 48 million of them they're talking about gas prices right now in the range of $3.40 a gallon up $1.30 from a year ago. that's a big reason why president biden has tapped the strategic petroleum reserve hoping to drive down those prices in the weeks and months ahead, but most experts say it will have a minimal impact at the pump it will take a coordinated effort to boost output worldwide before prices start coming down in any meaningful fashion. but, again, good news on the road today, good travel, rather. good travel conditions very few weather conditions nationwide and the roads should be pretty much clear sailing you and another 48 million of your best friends on the roads across the country the busiest travel day, guys, will be sunday after thanksgiving, whether you're flying or driving, it's going be very busy. guys, back to you.

>> all right, tom, thank you so much >> tom said it, al got a good kind of weather day what can we expect over the weekend? >> you look over the satellite combo, a few showers and snow showers out west all in all, not bad today. rockies, snow, down through plains you can see a lot of green on the map. a few delays maybe detroit, minneapolis, chicago and salt lake for the parade tomorrow morning, perfect weather for baby yoda and everybody coming out there temperatures in the 40s. for thanksgiving day, snow showers around the great lakes breezy down through the southern california area. wet weather from the central great lakes into the gulf. friday, lake-effect snow in the northeast. sunny and pleasant through the plains and then as we move into saturday, again, above average highs out west some rain in the pacific northwest. snow around the great lakes. and on sunday, the big travel day, near record highs out west. quiet weather pattern through the south. some snow showers around the great lakes. so we may see some airport delays in detroit. that's about it. and the roads look pretty good,

again, with the exception of maybe around the northeast and new england. but that's light snow, no big problems so i think from start to finish, weather is something to give thanks for >> way to go, al >> we'll take it thank you, mr. roker grammy nominations were announced on tuesday john batiste led all artists with 11 nominations including nods for album of the year and record of the year justin bieber, doja cat all received 8 nominations the grammys will be handed out at a ceremony in los angeles on january 31st >> one more quick nomination remember we put on this tiktok nomination they made an album called the unofficial bridgerton musical. it's incredible. it was inspired by the netflix show yesterday, they were nominated for a grammy pore best musical theater album. and let's just say, they're freaking out >> that is amazing

>> i think that's the hoda effect you and i introduced us to them. >> they are so talented. they performed at the kennedy center congrats to them we can take another boost. why not. >> here you go with a record number of travelers hopping on flights this holiday season, it's never too early to start training the next generation of airline employees. so take a look >> thank you >> here you go >> that's ryland for at least one day, she was a flight attendant in training ryland's dad was behind the camera she went up and down the aisle passing out snacks dad says he's -- thanks to the holiday season, everybody was in great spirits. >> lots more ahead this morning on this thanksgiving eve, including jenna's sit down with music and now movie superstar bono what he had to say about his starring role in "sing 2," the

power of songs and the future of his little band, u2. plus, our big thanksgiving celebration is about to get going, including why martha stewart sometimes puts a t-shirt on her turkey. she'll tell us why, live, right after this friday in-store @ 5am local time. this season head to walmart's black friday deals for days. ♪ ♪ (vo) for fourteen years, subaru and our retailers have been sharing the love with those who need it most. deals for days. now subaru is the largest automotive donor to make-a-wish and meals on wheels.

and the largest corporate donor to the aspca and national park foundation. get a new subaru during the share the love event and subaru will donate two hundred and fifty dollars to charity. introducing the new citi custom ℠ card. it adapts to you. earn 5% cash back that automatically adjusts to your top eligible spend category, up to $500 spent each billing cycle. and $200 cash back after qualifying purchases. apply now. visit citi.com/customcash milk-bone dipped. a treat so tasty, everyone will want to be a dog. coated in delicious peanut butter-flavored yum. dog life's more fun with milk-bone dipped. bye mom. my helpers abound, i'll need you today. our sleigh is now ready, let's get on our way. a mountain of toys to fulfill many wishes. must be carried across all roads and all bridges.

and when everyone is smiling and having their fun i can turn my sleigh north because my job here is done. it's not magic that makes more holiday deliveries to homes in the us than anyone else, it's the hardworking people of the united states postal service. it's walmart's black friday deals for days. score $69 air fryer and get other huge deals this friday instore. shop walmart's black friday deals for days. ♪ ♪ welcome back there are only a few names that

rise to the top when you talk about true rock stars. bono >> when you go by one name, right? the lead singer of u2 is behind some of the most famous songs across several generations now bono is lending that iconic voice to the upcoming film "sing 2. >> jenna, you got to spend the day with your bestie, bono >> i got to spend the day with it i couldn't believe it. it was great to catch up with him, talk about his first acting role and what music truly means to him >> it's an unmistakable voice behind some of the most iconic rock so well songs of all time from u2's "beautiful day" to "with or without you" and "one." bonnie has created anthems for generations. >> i've just come to talk to you.

>> you're closed up and you're here in new york for the first time since the pandemic. what does it feel like to be back >> it's great. to be outdoors it's great to be with you. it's great to be discussing my acting >> bono, who is known for his epic concert tours and activism is now trying something new. he's taking on a very big film role in "sing 2," playing a world famous musician who shut out the world. >> i haven't even heard any of my songs in over 15 years, and for good reason. >> the upcoming movie giving us a brand new track from u2, the band's first in three years. "your song saved my life,"

shining a like on nonprofit group education through music, an education that provides music as a core subject for over 60,000 students across the country. it's a beautiful song and the video made me weep because you're not starring in the video. it's real kids whose lives were changed because of music >> yeah. but the real stories, their lives depend on music. >> we are great professional singers out there. i'm not interested in them some people sing for a living. some people sing to survive. i'm -- i am one of the latter. >> the new track inspired by bono's own past, a kid growing up in ireland struggling with his own fears and insecurities bone know saved says music helped save his life >> i'm one of the people who sings to stay alive rather than through living there's a part of me that would die without that form of expression because somebody said, you know, as a performer, insecurity is your best security any great performer is lacking

something, you know, there's a void you're trying to fill >> it's been four years since you u2's album songs of experience and fans want to know if there's new music on the horizon >> it's sometimes nice to write without a purpose, which is to say it's not like somebody is coming up going, we have to have the u2 album and, you know, we have to have a u2 tour we've been talking and decided to work together again and in the next few weeks, there will be some recording >> but in between writing music, bono has worked to save lives continues with r.e.d., the organization he founded to combat the aids pandemic and in the face of covid-19, r.e.d.'s focus has shifted >> the problem with the coronavirus is, you know, actually if we don't cooperate on that one, worldwide, we

haven't a chance because unless you defeat the virus everywhere, nobody is safe anywhere >> this global icon with a giant voice and an even bigger heart had a special surprise in store and i never saw it coming. as we walked through central park together, things took a turn >> and where is the -- >> could we get a pint >> sorry, change of plans. >> oh, wait. what is happening here >> intentional music >> bonnie had evidently found out about my 40th birthday this week >> what is this? >> happy birthday, babe. >> stop it are you kidding me? >> over the top singers.strate. are you kidding me >> over the top singers. >> you have got to be kidding

me >> happy birthday. >> thank you i'm freaking out >> one of the world's biggest stars creating an incredible memory and a truly beautiful day. >> oh, my gosh blown away >> y'all, am i here? can you pinch me >> you are here. >> i could not believe it. bonnie planned this whole thing with karen trust who works with us who i was thinking i was with karen trussette for my 30th birthday we had gone to africa to do some reporting. that's how long i've been here i can't even believe it. but i want to thank bono, his team i can't even talk. and we want to thank tavern on the green for helping out with that awesome surprise and the susan e. wagner high school band who played beautiful day he said he was going to play happy birthday, but he wanted the royalty. >> nice. >> i mean, he made my decade

>> happy birthday, babe. >> happy birthday. >> how beautiful >> do you need to get a gif of that >> my face was in a permanent grin all night i couldn't believe it. i had no idea. we were there to talk about his new movie, which is so good. savannah and i got to see it it's called "sing 2. it's part of our parent company nbc universal. audiences can get a sneak peek preview screening on saturday. that's one month before the official release date on december 22nd. >> you peeked on your birthday >> my birthday hasn't even -- >> it's not bono with a pint, but it will have to do >> tomorrow is the big day >> tomorrow is the big day >> we love you, jenna. >> happy birthday to you and barbara. >> happy birthday, sissy >> remember that time bono -- >> i'm dead. mr. roker, how are we looking? >> give thanks for your birthday let's show you what we've got looking outside. first of all, a big temperature story. jet stream dips to the south here in the east

temperatures are below average but in the mid section of the country, above average from minneapolis all the way down to houston. and then that makes its way to the east dip a little further south and we're looking for minneapolis all the way down to el paso. those temperatures switch and drop anywhere from 5 to 10 degrees below average. the rest of the country today, we are looking at -- you look at the chill this weekend oh, my gosh. temperatures in the low 40s. boston by the weekend low 50s in raleigh. missed 50s out in nashville, cincinnati into the mid 40s, as well rest of the country, we're expecting a milder day today in the midwest. awfully chilly through the southeast. but look at all that sunshine up and down the east coast. looking gorgeous no weather travel problems in that area. that's what's going on around the country. here is what's happening -- in good morning, i'm meteorologist kari hall. our temperatures today start out chilly, but it will be a nice and comfortable afternoon. reaching into the low to mid-60s. light jacket weather will keep you comfortable. we'll see another cold start tomorrow morning, upper 30s for

thanksgiving. sunshine as we head for the low 60s. expect this weather to stay on repeat just getting slightly warmer over the next few days, but still no rain in the forecast. that continues into next week. . if you are, too, don't forget check out our podca >> cooking up a storm, you can find on apple podcast, spotify, wherever you get your podcast. there's more you can check out more ideas on instagram. our chefs will be answering your questions live in fact, speaking of our all-stars, time to get things started. >> thanksgiving 2021 together again, is sponsored by walmart this season, let's joy fully we're ready for the ncht we are ready for the big kickoff to our thanksgiving 21 toegt again xraf granz the our first five chefs, they have great tips for us >> if you find essentials hard to come by this year or forgot

to get something this group of clever chefs have tips and substitutions. it is not thanksgiving around here without martha stewart. hi, martha >> hi. >> this is one i never heard you say. how does a t-shirt come into your tip >> if you don't have cheese cloth for my turkey 10 1s1, you must cover the turkey. just make sure you go into your husband's clean t-shirt drawer and get a t-shirt like that. you soak that in the butter and white wine >> oh, my gosh the. >> then you drape that over the bird. >> and that really works >> it works almost as well >> really? >> yes the. >> but the t-shirt is lost forever. >> lost forever. >> are you cooking tomorrow? >> i certainly am. >> i bet we have kevin curry here hi, kevin. >> what's up, y'all? >> you have a pretty clever trip yourself what have you got? >> i've got swaps. if you're out of butter, use mayo especially for poultry wait a minute, you would just

brush mayo on top of it? >> mayo with herbs and what not. if you're out of brown sugar, take some molasses of course it's going be warm he. mix that in -- >> normal molasses, not frozen >> and if you add a white wine, here it is, lemon with some chicken salt, boom, squeeze it . >> i love this because these tips are not for fancy chefs >> this is the home chef >> here is martha with your t-shirt. >> and you keep basting all the time during your roasting. >> okay. you have a last minute side dish we could put together. >> so you're looking for a last minute dish. this is my creamy charred corn just because it's in a can doesn't mean you can't elevate it add some parmesan in there, some herbs, some mint in there, just to touch it up and, you know -- >> you made this cream corned look good.

>> you've got to step it up. your guests will love it >> and look at this presentation is everything. okay rose hoda, what have you got? >> we're moving down the table we have chef secchi. if you are trying not to do meat during this holiday season -- >> so vegetarian we have all these parmigiano rinds into the actually butter and then a little bit of sage inside and then we make really classic porcelli you can buy this in the store, come by or make it yourself. that is going to go right on top. >> oh, you pour that -- look at it >> that will be the base >> wait a minute >> and then we're going to finish a little bit for you guys to taste a little later. >> how is it i know it's tall, but how is it? dunk it in that. hold on. >> oh, my gosh >> so good

>> get involved. all right. we're taking a sweet turn. we have jocelyn adams from grand baby cakes we love jocelyn a lot around here >> yes, we do. >> sometimes you don't have your pie crust. >> i know. >> what is the answer here >> this is the thing everyone is buying all the pie crusts up, right but we can't stop the dessert party. so we have to come up with a great trick. you can use sugar cones. grab these at the grocery store. crush them up. get some shirring, butter -- >> wait, look. >> that's your new crust >> cones or you can even use cereal grind that up. press it into here dessert is saved >> wait, what kind of dessert? what's going on here >> we've got a little chocolate pie. do you want to go in >> wait, what is your favorite side dish? >> mac and cheese plus more mac and cheese count

>> what's your favorite side >> 100% with gravy, mac and cheese >> not the creamed corn? this is in a pinch, right? >> this is my second favorite. >> what about you? >> sweet potatoes. >> oh, my god, i love a good nash, but no marshmallows, though >> you have to trial's because al puts marshmallows on his and it's delicious >> what about you, martha? >> creamed spinach with nutmeg. >> i can't believe no one said stuffing in this crowd >> it's dressing it's dressing. >> what is the difference between stuffing and dressing? i know it's a thing. just tell me >> it's dressing >> my people are from the south. the dressing goes outside the birth. the stuffing goes inside the cavity of the birth. >> jiffy mix, too. >> thanksgiving people, don't talk about politics, stuffing or

dressing >> here is the answer. >> stuffing is inside the cavity of the bird and then the dressing is outside. >> by any name, it's delicious >> we want to get to our experts, find all their tips and tricks today at today.com/food we're just getting started after your local news.

good morning, it is 8:26. i'm marcus washington. san francisco police today, they will hold a vigil in a virtual town hall. this is in response to a deadly police shooting last friday. it happened inside a residential hotel south of market at 5th and fulsome. police said the suspect was armed with a knife. since then they have identified the man as ajumal amani. it's time to fete a look at that forecast for you.

meteorologist kari hall here with that. >> it's nice and sunny, also very chilly out there. we've seen these cool temperatures over the past couple of days. we are going to continue to see a mostly sunny sky. upper 40s and low 50s for a lot of spots. nice comfortable weather for the next few afternoons, and also, mostly sunny skies will continue into the forecast for thanksgiving as well as for the weekend. notice that there's still no rain in the forecast so our dry weather continues for the next week. we're going to have another local news update coming up for you in 30 minutes. we'll see you back here then. for many families in the bay area, the need for food assistance continues to grow. join nbc bay area to nourish our

neighbors this holiday season. your donation will provide food for families in need to local food banks across the bay area. and make a donation today. orate with the best bargains ever! ross has savings on everything you need to get the party started. because who waits for shipping anymore? or guests?! i love saying yes to more merry for less at ross!

this holiday season, we want to enjoy the gift of being together. for peace of mind, take the first step in knowing. because it might just be a cold, but you want to be confident. the binaxnow covid-19 antigen self test has the same technology used by doctors and detects multiple variants. so in just 15 minutes, you can test, know, and go. available in stores and online. ♪ ♪ mrs. claus the shopping boss here to help you

merry savers find the best bargains ever! when you have the world's longest list you go to ross so you can work that budget and get those savings. i love saying yes to more merry for less at ross. we're back, by the way, grammy nominated walker hayes. wednesday morning our plaza is packed we've got a great crowd and a lot of chefs sharing their best tips and tricks and advice to get us ready for thanksgiving. >> happy thanksgiving eve. >> you cannot do better than the 2 1 chefs we have with us throughout this morning. by the end, you'll be cooking like a pro >> by the way, coming up in the third hour, everyone will love

this story it's the story of how one hungry college student on the hunt for free pizza ended up saving a little girl's live it's the kind of story about giving back we love to celebrate this time of year. and we have another huge day tomorrow savannah, hoda, yours truly will be down at the parade with a live look at the final preparation ahead of the big event. we're going to give you a sneak peek at all the amazing performers, the balloons, the dedicated handlers you never know, butter man might show up. >> butter man. >> or we might melt him from martha's t-shirt >> maybe you can substitute him for mayonnaise >> that's right. i want to run into the mayo man. >> we are so looking forward though parade. it begins at 9:00 a.m. on all time zones mr. roker, how about a check of it is weather. >> let's show you what we've got. it's cold. but it's not so bad. little baby yoda everybody loves baby yoda. 9:00 a.m. to noon, sunshine will

give way to clouds almost 49 degrees. rest of the day, thanks or no thanks we're going to say thanks to the blue skies in san francisco. sunshine in atlanta. boston will be sunny and nice. tucson, crystal clear. but no thanks, no second helpings for memphis you've got showers green bay, snow showers. seattle rain good morning, i'm meteorologist kari hall. we do have some nice weather in our forecast for thanksgiving, just starting out cool with some upper 30s for the inland areas, but we'll head for the low 60s and a lot of sunshine in the forecast. that's what we're expecting as we go into the weekend. upper 60s into early next week. while san francisco will be in the lower 60s and a high of about 62 for thursday, friday, some mid-60s, and for early next week we're expecting more of the same. >> now before we get to more

meal prep, we want to talk about the national dog's show. 20th annual competition to find america's top dog. we have the hosts with us. guys, welcome back >> nice to be here, al we have some guests with us, too, here. >> when you started this 20 years ago, did you have any idea it would be this long and more popular than ever? >> we have an audience of about 30 million now we started it off with 19 but it was a leap into the abyss. >> and you have a couple of nice friends here >> this is -- belgians are not only known for their waffles, but for their sheep dogs this is buzz who is a champion and a therapy dog. david has one of our new breeds this year. >> this is the beaver terrier. and it's not a beaver and a terrier, but it's a toy dog. she's a new breed for this year. i'm trying to keep her warm under this coat. she doesn't want to come out

this is annie. she's a new -- brand new akc champion, as well. >> we'll have nearly 2,000 dogs there on thursday and, once again, the national dog show is going to have a big audience >> absolutely. and don't forget, you can watch the national dog show presented by purina tomorrow at noon here on nbc and streaming on peacock. guys, good to see you. happy thanksgiving >> good to see you when we come back, we're going to take a bite out of our next batch of thanksgiving meal next batch of thanksgiving meal tips including a staple and a the classic hollywood story. we meet the hero, the all-new nissan frontier hero faces seemingly impossible challenge.

tension builds... the plot twist the hero prevails in hollywood, this would be the end. but our here, we are just getting started. introducing the all-new nissan frontier. ♪ ♪ but our here, we ahave you seen thoserted. small bowl---? oh! careful with the... (dishes break) sorry, mrs. c! excuse me, could we-- ♪ ♪

excuse me, i was wondering could we-- ? bedroom! finding the right person for the job isn't always easy... ...but when you have an insurance question, you can always count on your local geico agent. they can give you personalized advice and could help you save hundreds. who wants some dress shirts!? for expert help with all your insurance needs, get to know your local geico agent today. we are back with more of our thanksgiving '21 together celebration. and our next five tips include clever swaps and solutions we're going to start with "new york times" cooking columnist eric kim you have an interesting twist on

a traditional stuffing, you understand, right? >> yes i love the sage and onion stuffing, but today, i wanted to show everyone a pizza stuffing >> pizza stuffing? >> yes i just have some caramelized onions, tomato paste and tried oregano in there so it gives it that piece of flavor then i add it to the bread >> what kind of bread? >> this is holla you mix it altogether, there's some mozzarella and some eggs. it's super simple. we have a recipe on the "new york times" cooking if you want to check it out. and you bake it in a casserole like this. it tastes like pizza it tastes like childhood my kids would love that now we have hillary here if i bought more onions than i needed, you've got a solution here, right? >> absolutely. so if we buy too many onions, we can roast them off

we're going to fill that pie with our caramelized roasted onion. >> and you can use any kind of onion? >> any sweet onion, preferably cheese and cream, pour right over it. and then just a touch more cream and some cheese. we're going to put this under the broiler and get it nice and crusty and crispy. >> that was four ingredients >> that's it that simple. >> what do you call this >> caramel iced onion torte. >> that's delicious. thank you so much. now i want to bring in cookbook author hawa hassan did i get it right >> you did >> you've got a thanksgiving dish i the feels a little heavy sometimes, but you have a way of lightening it up >> thanksgiving can get heavy. so i like to add lemon to my mashed potatoes. i like to take a little zest right over my sauce and butter i put that right on my turkey. and oftentimes you have

leftovers on the table for a long time, so i like to zest a little lime juice on there this really does brighten up the meal >> what is your favorite thanksgiving dish? >> oh, any type of stuffing. >> any type of stuffing. >> how about you, favorite dish? >> cranberry sauce >> wow, you don't get that very often. >> we have some cranberry sauce fans on the plaza, too how do you make yours? >> open the can. >> just like us. >> how about you >> mac and cheese. >> that's my favorite, as well >> got some good ones. jam, let's get this -- let's get our jam on what are we doing? >> so in your pantry, whatever jar of jam you've got, flavors, blueberries, raspberries, cranberries, use it to kick up your dishes. use it to glaze your turkey.

>> do you do that after it's done >> glaze the whole turkey, add the jam and set it under the broiler for 5 minutes? >> is there a difference between jam and jelly? sorry. i said it was dumb they're cackling behind me >> the jam has the whole fruit in it and the jelly is the more clarified one. >> okay. >> yes so jam, you get the roll good flavors. i love apricot, i love guava glaze, it pops and preserves the fruit. so you can make the tart early in the day brush it on your pie crust, too. >> i love that now we have kwami. it's all about you bring us home for what to do with our turkey leftovers. >> we have the dark meat cooked in its own fat low and slow. >> look who came over to test it >> hey, get back, man. >> craig, this is my segment >> we've got some holla at your boy bread. then we have some caramelized

onions, some bacon your favorite cheeses. >> just pile it on >> pile it on, bang, bang, bang, and we've got a cranberry aeoli. so we've used all the leftovers. we're going to toast this in the butter >> is it cold or warm? >> this is pretty warm but, again, you have to use the dark meat, right >> yes >> and you did can a comfit. >> yes >> which is french for -- >> delicious your favorite side dish? >> it's curried goat it's the side dish, the main dish, the best dish. >> good culture. how about you? >> plantains and pork, lots of garlic >> i like that we're bringing in some nontraditionals, which i love chefs, thank you so much find all of these ideas at today.com/food coming up, we're going to focus

you on some things everyone can do today to get ahead of the cooking game tomorrow. how about that but first, this is "today" on nbc.

welcome back to our thanksgiving '21 extravaganza. this group of chefs, easy suggestions for what you can do today to prepare for the big meal let's start with chef leah cohen. if you're making gravy and we all get stuck, what is a special way we can make its look good?

>> so i like to make a roux. which thickens a gravy >> so what goes into that? >> so i use chicken fat. you can use any fat, butter, oil, but i like chicken fat to give it more flavor and flour. then we whisk in our chicken sauce. >> let's do it >> add in any herbs that you want to infuse the gravy or you can just go traditional and just do salt and perpendicular. and that's it. >> that's it >> yes >> easy peasy. >> and you can make your roux the day before >> and leave it in the fridge? >> leave it in the fridge, exactly. >> and that looks like a delicious meal how come that's brown? i don't know >> you know who knows? nobody >> next step, cookbook author and chef maneet chauhan. this is brilliant because sometimes we want our table to

look beautiful and sometimes, quite frankly, we run out of dishes at our house, everyone is in the dishwasher what can you do? >> get some pumpkins, hollow out the pumpkin and use that as your bowl it looks so beautiful and -- >> stop. >> and you don't have to wash this afterwards. >> you just throw it away. but does it leave any kind of pumpkiny residue on what you may be serving >> not really. i put a layer of oil in it so that acts as a barrier yes. and then the seeds that you take out, wash it well and spice it up so over here, i have some spices i have some tumeric, some paprika, some chopped marsala, some dried mint and some salt, put some oil mix it together and just put it in the oven for 15 to 20 minutes at 350 degrees >> and what do you have, hors d'oeuvres? >> or you can use it as a garnish on soup. >> on soup >> brilliant

>> it's delicious. >> brilliant, brilliant, brilliant. now to the pit master phil the grill johnson of trap house barbecue some people want an alternative. they want the turkeys, but they don't want to deal with the whole -- >> or you might have a subgroup. so i have a subturkey meat loaf. it's stuffed with cornbread stuffing, sausage and topped with my barbecue sauce and this is a cranberry smoked chipotle barbecue sauce that you put on top of it >> can i ask you the dumbest question in the world? how did you get the stuffing in the middle of that meat loaf >> when you start creating the meat loaf, you just kind of create a canoe then you take the cornbread stuffing go through your regular

cornbread. when you put your sausage in it, don't pat it down too tight and cover it with your meat loaf and look, it covers beautifully. >> let's see. >> oh. and in that barbecue sauce what is the special stuff that goes in that >> the good thing is apple jelly. you've got a little bit of a ketchup, vinegar, molasses, nice flavor and like i said, at the end, you're getting that whole bite of thanksgiving. >> al, are you totally convinced? >> ready for that. and we have a side for it with mariah gladstone and you have a special tip and trick involving garlic >> yeah. it's really easy to save yourself a lot of time chopping garlic if you want to cut your garlic in half like this, drizzle it with a little bit of olive oil and then we're just going wrap this up. and bake it in the oven for

about an hour to roast your garlic it will soften it up >> makes it sweeter, too >> yeah. it will bring out all of the nice flavor and it has roasted elements and then you have your roasted garlic and it's easy to use that to squeeze on top of your mashed potatoes a little chilly right now. >> it won't quite squeeze. >> but you can use it to season your mashed potatoes or, like, your vegetable dish, like that and that will take out all of that garlic flavor right into your dish. >> that is fantastic thank you so much. that brings us to tip number 15, sara thomas. we're talking -- we're not going to talk wine, but it's a fun way to create nonalcoholic drinks that everybody in the family can enjoy. >> that's right. i think it's just as important to be thoughtful about the nonalcoholic beverages as the wine selection so this is just a fun way to introduce new flavors for your kids so what i like to do is set up an assortment of ingredients and let kids choose their own

adventure. so start with some juices, maybe apple cider or lemonade or tart cherry juice muddle fresh herbs, make syrups out of the whole spices. you can add in some ground spice like allspice or something and then my favorite part, add something to make it sparkle ginger beer, sparkling cider, flavored seltzers. you've involved your kids in something, you've introduced new flavors to something they already love and now everybody has a special drink to toast with >> and what are a couple of the combos you've got here >> so my favorite one is pineapple, allspice and ginger beer i do a tart cherry with maple syrup and cinnamon but you can be creative and have fun with all of it >> it's rum in here wouldn't be bad. >> i wouldn't say no, but maybe

not for the kids >> thank you so much, chef thank you so much. again, you can find everything on our website today.com/food. now, if you've got questions, head to our instagram page and coming up next, we're going to close out the hour with a special surprise but first, this is "today" on nbc. every day in business brings something new. so get the flexibility of the new mobile service designed for your small business. introducing comcast business mobile. you get the most reliable network with nationwide 5g included. and you can get unlimited data for just $30 per line per month when you get four lines or mix and match data options. available now for comcast business internet customers with no line-activation fees or term contract required.

see if you can save by switching today. comcast business. powering possibilities.

we are back. >> hello >> we are gathered around the "today" thanksgiving table with our 21 chef superstars and they're sticking around to offer up even more advice over the next few hours >> we cannot wait. but first, we know it's been a tough year for so many folks out there. so we've got a little surprise to help families celebrate this holiday season our sponsor, walmart, is donating 1,000 turkeys to food banks all across the country

we're talking about places like dallas, miami, and so many more. >> that's really grateful about that >> we're super grateful to these 21 all-star chefs who not only have shared their expertise with us, but they've all gotten hypothermia this morning because we've only let them wear these little "today" show vests. great news, next year if you come back we're going to have tank tops fob everyone >> i can't wait to see anthony >> we should thank our stage hands, as well they were up at 2:00 a.m. this morning. >> and our food crew >> so let's raise a grass to our chef, to families, to food, to being together with what we have, whether it be knowledge. invite someone over and have a healthy and blessed holiday. happy thanksgiving, everyone now we drink >> cheers. >> cheers, everyone. >> thank you don't go far, folks.

we're just getting started this is the "today" show halftime two more hours more of our amazing chefs. they're going to share their best secrets and hacks and tips. >> and on the fourth hour, we've got elizabeth. we've got jet pila >> we love you, chefs. enjoy this freezing cold wine. but first, a check off your landlord news, your weather and these messages.

good morning, 8:56. i'm marcus washington, and a south bay mall the latest target in organized retail robberiesment thieves hit the macy's women's store. police say four men were involved. officers caught two of them as they were trying to run away.

we're told that they took about $2,000 worth of merchandise in a robbery echoing other recent bay area thefts. the san francisco district attorney filed felony charges today against nine people, all who were arrested last friday in connection with the robbery at a louis vuitton, and a walgreen's. a live report during our midday newscast. you can head to our home page for more back story and new video of a flash mob robbery in oakland.

'tis the season for giving back, we'll take you live where volunteers are preparing thousands of meals. the recent rash of thefts have shoppers concerned over safety. what you can expect on black friday, join us tomorrow morning 4:30 to 7:00. ersation] -great party, carlene. you must have blown your budget. -not exactly. -you have great name-brand snacks, tons of meat... and where did you get this imported cheese? -hello! grocery outlet, bargain market. -♪ grocery outlet bargain market ♪

-with this holiday set to bust your wallet, your neighborhood grocery outlet is the destination for savings of 40 to 70 percent on all your holiday needs. live from studio 1a in rockefeller plaza, this is the third hour of "today." >> good morning. welcome to this third hour of "today," wednesday, november 24th, t minus 24 hours until turkey day. >> thanksgiving eve. >> thanksgiving eve. craig melvin, al roker, sheinelle jones, dylan dreyer is still enjoying maternity leave. i guess she's not really enjoying it. >> she is. she's definitely enjoying it. >> we want to show you something right now. this is quite possibly the most beautiful thanksgiving day table ev